For the past five or six weeks my dog Bertie has been behaving oddly, but only on a Thursday morning, and its doing my head in.
He wakes me up (today it was at 6.45), by jumping on me in bed and insists on me going downstairs to the back door. He doesn't want to go out. Having earlier set my alarm for 7.45 to put the bins out (they come on a Thursday) I figure I might as well do it now since I'm up. He goes back upstairs and watches from an upstairs window as I gather the bags and go out the back gate and place them at the collection point.
He has been watching, but reappears by the back door when I get there. I go in and after giving him a treat go back to bed. Bertie now is asleep next to the bed. And I have turned off my alarm.
This behaviour has been happening for five or six weeks, but only on a Thursday. I am thinking it must be coincidental that its just on a bin day that he does this, its a little bit spooky but he cant be that intelligent can he? Then I remember he did the same on the Thursday of Bank Holiday week when they come a day later on Friday, and realise he's not that clever after all.
Had anyone else got a pet who does this sort of thing?
It's interesting isn't it. Everything means something in the dog world. Do you prep the bags the night before or do anything different on a Weds evening that will tell him that tomorrow's the big day? You have trained him that stuff happens on a Thursday that is a bit exciting (getting up earlier, taking the bins out) so he is all ready for that and comes up to you as he hasn't got a clock and doesn't know it isnt for another hour. You then train him through positive reinforcement that this is what you want him to do by giving him a treat.
One of my dogs that died earlier this year was incredibly smart and sensing when something good was going to happen. About once every month, I would take him to the local pub after finishing work. Somehow, he knew which nights I was going and would follow me everywhere looking expectant. Other nights, he would be switched right off. Also, he loved going out in the car as it meant a special walk or holiday. Before I had even taken the car keys out of the drawer, he would strut round ready for the action. My wife and I used to talk in code so that he couldn't pick up what we were saying as he was also sharp at picking up keywords. Biscuit became BS and dinner became d-i-n spelt out. Of course, he learnt that BS were biscuits fairly quickly. He achieved an O level in Pure Mathematics and English Language.
For the past five or six weeks my dog Bertie has been behaving oddly, but only on a Thursday morning, and its doing my head in.
He wakes me up (today it was at 6.45), by jumping on me in bed and insists on me going downstairs to the back door. He doesn't want to go out. Having earlier set my alarm for 7.45 to put the bins out (they come on a Thursday) I figure I might as well do it now since I'm up. He goes back upstairs and watches from an upstairs window as I gather the bags and go out the back gate and place them at the collection point.
He has been watching, but reappears by the back door when I get there. I go in and after giving him a treat go back to bed. Bertie now is asleep next to the bed. And I have turned off my alarm.
This behaviour has been happening for five or six weeks, but only on a Thursday. I am thinking it must be coincidental that its just on a bin day that he does this, its a little bit spooky but he cant be that intelligent can he? Then I remember he did the same on the Thursday of Bank Holiday week when they come a day later on Friday, and realise he's not that clever after all.
Had anyone else got a pet who does this sort of thing?
It's interesting isn't it. Everything means something in the dog world. Do you prep the bags the night before or do anything different on a Weds evening that will tell him that tomorrow's the big day? You have trained him that stuff happens on a Thursday that is a bit exciting (getting up earlier, taking the bins out) so he is all ready for that and comes up to you as he hasn't got a clock and doesn't know it isnt for another hour. You then train him through positive reinforcement that this is what you want him to do by giving him a treat.
I have tried to look at what triggers him. We do prepare a recycling bag and binbag, but we do that also other days and it doesn't bother him, and I usually treat him when he uses the outside facilities anyway, I mean look at him does he look clever.
Bertie has got it badly wrong today. Once again he forced me awake and practically dragged me to the back door. Again he did not want to go out, but returned to his viewing position in the back bedroom to watch me carry the bags out. But he's really messed up this time, he hasn't taken into account the extra Bank Holiday! Boy will his face be red when he finds out.
Bertie has got it badly wrong today. Once again he forced me awake and practically dragged me to the back door. Again he did not want to go out, but returned to his viewing position to watch me carry the bags out. But he's really messed up this time, he hasn't taken into account the extra Bank Holiday! Boy will his face be red when he finds out.
That chair looks comfy, no wonder Berties nabbed it!
...oh the reason he has two collars, after a severe trim his leather collar could slip over his ears. We had to put on an older smaller collar to prevent this, but he insisted on wearing his favourite collar as well.
For the past five or six weeks my dog Bertie has been behaving oddly, but only on a Thursday morning, and its doing my head in.
He wakes me up (today it was at 6.45), by jumping on me in bed and insists on me going downstairs to the back door. He doesn't want to go out. Having earlier set my alarm for 7.45 to put the bins out (they come on a Thursday) I figure I might as well do it now since I'm up. He goes back upstairs and watches from an upstairs window as I gather the bags and go out the back gate and place them at the collection point.
He has been watching, but reappears by the back door when I get there. I go in and after giving him a treat go back to bed. Bertie now is asleep next to the bed. And I have turned off my alarm.
This behaviour has been happening for five or six weeks, but only on a Thursday. I am thinking it must be coincidental that its just on a bin day that he does this, its a little bit spooky but he cant be that intelligent can he? Then I remember he did the same on the Thursday of Bank Holiday week when they come a day later on Friday, and realise he's not that clever after all.
Had anyone else got a pet who does this sort of thing?
One of our dogs will start crying at 7pm (or withing about 5 minutes either way) if they haven't had their diner.
One of my dogs that died earlier this year was incredibly smart and sensing when something good was going to happen. About once every month, I would take him to the local pub after finishing work. Somehow, he knew which nights I was going and would follow me everywhere looking expectant. Other nights, he would be switched right off. Also, he loved going out in the car as it meant a special walk or holiday. Before I had even taken the car keys out of the drawer, he would strut round ready for the action. My wife and I used to talk in code so that he couldn't pick up what we were saying as he was also sharp at picking up keywords. Biscuit became BS and dinner became d-i-n spelt out. Of course, he learnt that BS were biscuits fairly quickly. He achieved an O level in Pure Mathematics and English Language.
Perhaps he could help me with my picks next season.
Next doors cat Daisy likes to hang out in my parents back garden. She had the full run of the place and would even come into the house sometimes and wander around, as cats do. That changed when my parents inherited my dog a couple of years ago. Maisie goes nuts when ever she sees the cat, who just sits up on the shed annoying her. My dad had taken to saying "uh-oh" whenever daisy was in the garden and the dog picked up on this. Watching tele last night and something bad was abt to happen. My dad went "uh-oh" and the dog is immediately up at the back window growling and woofing into the night! Clever, but also stupid in the same way haha! she's tiny and not very menacing too, so it's pretty funny. Here's a pic for context of just how frightening she is lol
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Except on Wednesdays
When I get rudely awakened by the dustmen.
Is that the breed ?
I thought that 'cavachon' was one of those new words ... meaning a holiday in a trailer.
Oh well.
But he's really messed up this time, he hasn't taken into account the extra Bank Holiday! Boy will his face be red when he finds out.